Search form

Hertl scores 2 goals in Sharks' 4-1 victory - NBC Sports

Hertl scores 2 goals in Sharks' 4-1 victory

APWF

San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl celebrates after scoring a goal against Phoenix Coyotes during the first period an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

October 6, 2013, 1:34 am

Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Tomas Hertl scored his first two NHL goals and the San Jose Sharks beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-1 on Saturday night.

Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture also scored for the Sharks, who were able to convert two power plays after not scoring on the man advantage against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored for the Coyotes, who won their opener at home on Thursday.

Smith allowed all three goals in the first 13 minutes before blanking the Sharks the rest of the way.

Hertl scored his first goal 46 seconds into the game, backhanding the puck through Smith's legs after being set up in front of the net by Marc-Edouard Vlasic.

Hertl, who had an assist in the season opener, chest-bumped the glass to celebrate before he was joined by his teammates.

The Sharks made it 2-0 at 7:23 of the first period with their first power-play goal. Hertl redirected Matt Irwin's shot past Smith. Tyler Kennedy set up the score when he won the faceoff and Brent Burns kept it alive.

Marleau scored his second goal of the season, also on the power play, at 12:30 of the first. Joe Pavelski's shot bounced off Smith's pad and Vlasic was in position to give Marleau an open net.

Phoenix scored at 16:47 of the second period. Ekman-Larsson picked up the puck from Zbynek Michalek in his own zone and carried it all the way, taking a quick shot from the right that glanced into the net off Niemi's right glove.

Couture added an empty-net goal in the final 25 seconds.

The Sharks have beaten Phoenix in 10 of the past 12 meetings in San Jose.

NOTES: The Coyotes, who play six of their first eight games on the road, head to the East Coast to play four games over the next week. ... Phoenix backup goalie Thomas Greiss, who played with the Sharks last year, received a warm reception from the crowd when he was shown on the big screen. ... The Sharks outshot Phoenix 18-8 in the first period.